


A Change will do You Good

by karrenia_rune



Category: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Space Cases (TV)
Genre: Gen, Prompt Fill, Rare Fandoms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-07-11 20:11:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7068298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karrenia_rune/pseuds/karrenia_rune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The crew of the Christa finds themselves aboard the Heart of Gold and after the tour, decide that it's a nice place to visit but they wouldn't want to live there. Also, Thelma discovers an unique connection to the other alien ship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Change will do You Good

Disclaimer: Space Cases belongs to Nickelodeon and it's creators and producers.  
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy book series is the creation of Douglas Adams.

 

"A Change will do You Good" by Karrenia

Harlan knew that he'd been the one to accidentally trip over the prone form of their ship-board android when they'd been exploring the Christa for the first time; causing her logic crystal to crack. perhaps beyond repair, perhaps not. 

For the life of him he didn't know why he hadn't fessed up the at the time; now here he was facing an older man in a tattered bathrobe that had obviously seen better days, who looked as if he had just arisen from a long nap.

At Harlan's age most adults looked old to him, that being said, this guy, who had introduced himself as Arthur Dent, had told them from the moment they stepped found themselves aboard yet another alien spacecraft, that they were welcome to stay as long as they liked, but warned them that could range anywhere from a day, a week, a month, because time had a habit of fluctuating around here. 

Warming to the topic Arthur went on to say," I say, there's a good chap! You've already met Ford, am I right. Interesting old scuffer, but you have to admit that he's shall we say a bit cracked int he head."

"He's interesting," Catalina replied helpfully.

"That's definitely the word I use to describe him," Harlan added, not to be outdone.

"What do you mean by the fact that time fluctuates around here," Radu added, focusing on how this might factor into their ability to get off of this ship, the Heart of Gold and back home to the Christa.

Trillian, who had been listening to this exchange nodded wistfully. "We'll do the best we can, young man, but you'll just have to be paitent. I felt the same way, but then it gets easier."

Radu nodded and sighed. "It's that we're a long way from home, ah, as it is, and this ah, will set us back and..." he trailed off.

Trillian reached out and patted Radu on the back. Take it easy, okay." 

Turning to regard Arthur she asked, "What are you staring at? It's not polite to stare..." Oh,...

Arthur turned and addressed Thelma, "Hey, I don't want to sound rude or anything, hon, but could you do something about that cracked logic crystal of yours?" 

Thelma paused and cocked her head to one side as if thinking the matter over and then slowly and languidly reached a hand up to the top of her head where said logic crystal had been mounted; gingerly fingering it.

"How long has it been like that?"

"I do not know?" replied Thelma.

"Maybe it would help to start from the beginning," added Trillian helpfully, unaware of the frantic hand signs from the crew members of the Christa, and aghast looks as well.

When Trillian and Arthur became aware of these they had the grace to look both astonished and contrite. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize that this was a sensitive issue. Is something wrong?"

"No, no, not wrong. It's just, well, Thelma has a tendency, to uh, take things, a little too literally," replied Harlan.

"First I remember being aboard the Christa upon its arrival at the Star Academy, but how and why it's course had been directed there is no longer within my memory banks," Thelma said in dreamy voice.

"Do you remember anything else?" Arthur asked.

"Maybe I could take a look at it,' Trillian offered. I think I have could have Ford modify some tools and then repair. I think I remember how from when I used to help my uncle in a jewelry shop.

"I think that would be a capital idea!" Thelma exclaimed.

"How did it get cracked in the first place?" Arthur asked.

 

Marvin the Robot trundled by just at the moment and muttered under his breath, "If anyone had asked me, which they never do, maybe she's happier that way. Not that I remember what happiness feels like,"

After he had trundled down the hallway and disappeared around a bend Catalina called after him, "Hey, Marvin, I' happen to be a really a very good listener. I have a friend named Suzee, okay, most of the times she's invisible, but she we still talk to each other. Maybe I can help break you out this massive blue funk that you're in!"

"It was kind of you to offer, dear," Trillian said, moving to over to Catalina, "but Marvin is, well Marvin."

Catalina appeared to deflate just a little bit at that but immediately brightened, saying, I guess so. Anyways, back to your original question, Harlan told me not to breathe a word of this to anyone," she ignored Harlan's glare, and blithely went on:  
"he tripped over and knocked it out its socket, it cracked when it hit the floor and then he put back in, and it brought her systems back on-line."

"So that's how it happened!" muttered Bova. How come you never told anyone?"

"I, just didn't think it was that big a deal," Harlan muttered defensively. Turning to Arthur and Trillian, "Can you fix it?"

"I think so, but as I say, it might take some time until we can study the crystal...."

Thelma added, feeling the sounds and shudder of the ship all around in a way different but still uncannily similar to the Christa could not help give a brief shudder in response. 

At first, she wondered if she were imagining it, that being aboard this alien ship was somehow interfering with her natural almost symbiotic and harmonious interaction with her own alien ship.

But the longer they were aboard the Heart of Gold the more she felt as she felt something akin to one another. She had to be quite intently to the discussion going around here and was intrigued, but Thelma also felt that if it were separate and apart from here, and what she really wanted to concentrate on. Namely whatever message the Heart of Gold was sending to her.

Thelma closed her and concentrated and a feeling of being wrapped in a comfortable familiar yet different blanket of warmth. Thelma let herself go with the feeling and then she began to experience sensations that she would hard-pressed to put a name too. Externally the color of her logic crystal began to change from its dull gold color to a brighter golden sheen and its minute fissures closed up until they were no more than a distant memory.

Radu was the first to hear and see the change and he drew the others' attention to it. "Would you look at that!" he exclaimed.

"It's fixed!" Bova added. "I think I'm getting a headache," he added.

"How did you do that?" Rosie added, ignoring that last part.

"We didn't" Arthur began and stammered off into confusion pausing to take a healthy swallow from the hip flask of coffee he carried in a pocket of his robe, and perhaps wishing that he had something stronger and with a little more kick to it.

"I don't understand," Trillian added.

"The Heart of Gold responds to the wishes/needs of its crew, am I correct in understanding," Thelma said.

"Yes, but you guys, ah, aren't exactly part of the crew," Arthur replied.

"Yes, but it sensed my need, perhaps and acted accordingly. Oh, and Harlan, I forgive for your accidental error. It could have happened to anyone."

"Ah, gee, Harlan said, reaching up to scratch the side of his head, mainly for an outlet for something to occupy his hands, "Sorry about, Thelma, really. I don't why I didn't say something sooner."

"It's all right," Thelma replied.

"I think that if you direct me to your navigator/leader together we can calculate the best course home to the Christa"

"Yeah!" Catalina and Rosie chimed in.

"All right then, let's get on with it," Arthur Dent replied.

**Author's Note:**

> This could be more or less considered a continuation of my previous story "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" but it is not necessary to have read this one before reading this one.


End file.
